Powered liquid dispersing device



Jan. 28, 1964 Filed March 6, 1962 lllllllflllllllIllllllllllllllllllllll T. B. TYLER POWERED LIQUID DISPERSINGDEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.2.

FIG.1

TRACY B. TYLER, INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS T. B. TYLER POWERED LIQUID DISPERSING DEVICE Jan. 28, 1964 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1962 TRACY B.TYLER. INVENTOR.

ATTORN E Y5 Jan. 28, 1964 T. B. TYLER POWERED LIQUID DISPERSING DEVICE 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1962 TRACY B. TYLER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,119,562 POWERED LIQUED DISPERSRNGDEVICE Tracy B. Tyler, Miami Beach, Fla, assignor to AFA Corporation ofFlorida, Miami, Fla, a corporation of Florida Filed Mar. 6, 1962, Ser.No. 177,802 12 Claims. (Cl. 239-318) This invention relates to apparatusfor dispersing liquids into the atmosphere, and, more specifically, tosuch devices which are power operated to create an air flow which byaspirating means functions to discharge and disperse selected liquids orliquid compounds into the atmosphere in substantially large volume.

An object of this invention is to provide in such a device an improvedliquid dispersing nozzle which by venturi aspirating means combined withtangential agitation of the stream of fluid being discharged effectivelydisperses the latter as a desirably fine mist or fog with liquidparticles of extremely small mass micron size.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the liquid dispersingnozzle is so constructed that it may be commercially produced andassembled at exceptionally low cost.

Still another object is to provide such a device wherein the stream offluid being discharged may be directed up or down to various degrees andsustained in any such selected direction.

A further object is to provide in such a device an adjustable valve formetering the amount of liquid to be dispersed relative to the air flowvolume and which is located on the apparatus where it is most convenientfor adjustment and operation.

These and various other objects of my invention will be apparent fromthe following description wherein reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings illustrating certain embodiments of my invention, and whereinsimilar numerals designate similar parts throughout the several viewsand figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of thedevice with a portion broken away to show certain details.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the device with a portion brokenaway to show other details.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal plan sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFIGURE 1.

FEGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the liquid dispersing nozzle ofthe device.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle assembly ofFIGURE 3.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are plan views of the front and rear sides respectivelyof a modified plate, and FIG- URES 8 and 9 are plan views of the frontand rear sides of'a modified ring, shown separately and assembled withthe modified plate respectively.

Structural Elements Describing now the structure of the presentlyillustrated embodiment of 'my invention, the device comprises a housingassembly including generally cylindrical front and rear housings 16 and11, which may be adjoined by means of screws 12 and nuts 13. Clamped byand between the housing 11 and a shoulder of a reduced diameter portionof the housing is a motor support and fan housing 14. The latter isprovided with an outwardly turned flange 15 through which the screws 12extend to retain it centrally. A sealing gasket 16 is disposed betweenflange 15 and housing 11.

An electric motor 17, diagrammatically illustrated, is encased in ahousing having a flange 18 for attachment to the front wall of the fanhousing 14 by screws or spot ice welding. A motor shaft 19 extendsthrough an aperture in the fan housing wall. Suitably aflixed to shaft19 is a centrifugal fan 20. A plurality of air inlet apertures 21 andoutlet apertures 22 are provided in the housings 11 and 14,respectively.

Mounted in an apertured cylindrical nose 10a of housing 10 is a liquiddispersing nozzle generally designated 23 (FIG. 3). The nozzle 23comprises a venturi conduit 24 formed with a conically flared portion 25at its inlet end and an outwardly turned rimmed flange 26 at its outletend. The venturi conduit 24 is supported in the nose 10a of housing 10by its flanged end 26, as by press fitting the latter therein. Theconduit 24 is preferably made in two parts (FIG. 5), which may betelescopically adjoined, as shown in FIG. 3, by press fitting one partinto the other. Although the conduit 24 is preferably constructed ofsheet metal, such as aluminum, it may, if desired, as readily beconstructed of molded plastic and formed as one piece.

Inserted in the flared end 25, as by press fitting therein, is a webmember or spider 27, which in turn has inserted through its center, asby press fitting therein, a venturi liquid feeding nozzle 28 made ofplastic or aluminum. The latter is conically flared, as 29, at itsoutlet end. A plurality of air flow apertures 30 are provided in spider27.

An air whirling element is also disposed in nose 10a between an inwardlyturned flange thereof and the forward face of the conduit flange 26, theair whirling element comprising a plate 31 and a ring 32, bothpreferably molded plastic, having square center openings 31b and 32b,respectively, registering with one another (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5). Plate 31is formed with a plurality of angularly spaced projections 31a extendingforwardly from the front face thereof at the corners of the centeropening therein. Projections 31a thus form slotted louvre vents 33 whichare tangentially directed relative to the lineal axis of venturi conduit24. Ring 32 is formed with tongues 32a which extend part way into thevent slots 33, leaving the vent slots open forward of the plane of thefront face of plate 31. The outer rim 34 of plate 31 is annular andturned inwardly, and in combination with the annular outer periphery ofring 32, as shown, forms an annular recess 35 which communicates withthe radially outer ends of vent slots 33. A plurality of apertures 36 inthe conduit flange 26 in turn communicate with the recess 35.

The operating unit thus far described may be mounted and supported in abracket 37 (FIGS. 1 and 2) on friction clutch stabilized trunnions whichcomprise studs 38, washers 39 and 40, bushings 41, friction discs 42,bowed springs 43, and nuts 44 (FIG. 3). The studs, washers and bushings38, 39, 4t) and 41, respectively, are fixedly clamped to the sides ofhousing member 11 by the nuts 44, the bushings 41 being rotatablyjournalled in the bracket 37. The operating unit may thus be inclined upor down to any selected angle and sustained at such angle by thefriction discs 42, which react against bracket 37 and the washers 39under preset bias of the springs 43.

The bracket 37 may also form a carrying handle, as at 45 (FIG. 2), andmay be suitably affixed, as by rivets 46, to a cover 47 of a liquidsupply container 48. Cover 47 may be retained tightly on the containerby means of conventional toggle strap clamps 49. A gasket 50 preventsleakage.

Suitably aflixed to the container cover is an adjustable liquid flowmetering valve generally designated 51 which comprises a body 52, aneedle valve 53, a knob 54 provided with an indicating pointer 55, and acoupling nipple 56. A tube 57 provided with a strainer 58 is coupled toa stem projecting from the bottom of the valve body 52. Indicatingmarkings (not shown) may be provided on cover 47 coincident with theindicating pointer 55,

the full regulating range requiring not more than three- :quarters of atum of the valve knob.

" A double ended tube coupling 60 extends through and IIS suitablyefiixed to the wall of housing 19, and from this a flexible wi lie 61leads to and is coupled to the nipple 56, a a ile 62 leads to and iscoupled to a nipple end of the feelin nozzle 28.

Operation For operation, the container 48 of the device is filled with aselected liquid, such as insecticide, air deodorant, air sc entingmaterial, or other desired fluid. The metering valve 51 is turned to adesired feeding rate position, and the motor started by connecting itscord to an electrical outlet in conventional manner.

With the centrifugal fan 20 now in operation, air is drawn in throughapertures 21 in housing 11 and urged through apertures 22 into thechamber formed by housing It} Part of the air then passes throughapertures 30 in spider 27 to be discharged through the venturi conduitI24, and part passes through apertures 36 in the flange 26 to bedischarged through the vent slots 33 formed by :plate 31 and ring 32.

The speed of the centrifugal fan is such that the air fiows at asubstantially high velocity, and as it passes through the venturiconduit 24 the velocity is further increased by the inwardly convergingwall of portion 25, an'd still further by the flaring 29 at the end ofthe feeding nozzle 23 because this reduces the area of the conduitpassage at this point. Thus, considerable suction (partial vacuum) iscreated forward of the outlet end of the feeding nozzle 28 by the wellknown venturi elfect, and at the same time much air turbulence iscreated by the sharp radially outward deflection of the air streamcites-ted by the nozzle flaring 29, which causes the air to bounce backfrom the wall of the venturi conduit 24.

The venturi suction draws liquid from supply container 48 through valve1 and associated conducting tubes {57, 51 and 62 to be discharged fromfeeding nozzle 28 into the air stream, and the high air turbulence atthe point of discharge caused by nozzle flaring 29 serves to dispersethe liquid into finer particles than would a plain straight nozzle.

As the fluid mixture is discharged from venturi conduit 24, highvelocity air flow issuing from the whirling element vent slots 33impinges tangentially on the periphery of the stream of dischargingfluid mixture, which induces it to whirl, and which thus furtheragitates it to disperse the liquid particles into still smaller size.The resultant fluid discharge is in the form of a desirably fine mist orfog with liquid particles dispersed into extremely small mass micronsize.

The relative volume of liquid to air may be selectively metered by thevalve 51 which permits increase or decrease of the amount of liquidwhich may be inducted by the feeding nozzle 28 in a given period oftime.

It is to be understood that plate 31 and ring 32 may be :replaced in thenozzle assembly by a modified plate 131 :and modified ring 132 of FIGS.6 to 9 inclusive. The corresponding elements of plates 31 and 131 andrings 32 :and 132 are given similar reference numerals. It will be:evident from the drawing that plate 131 and ring 132 have fouradditional projections 1310 and 132a respectively which are individuallyinterposed at a 45 degree angle between each adjacent pair ofprojections 131a or 132a which correspond to projections 31a and 32a ofthe previously described plate 31 and ring 32. The additional fourprojections co-operate when plate 131 and ring 132 are assembledtogether as shown in FIG. 9 in the same mannet as the other fourprojections 131a and 13251 to form a total of eight tangential ventslots to thereby provide a more even distribution of the tangentiallydirected whirling air around the axially discharging fluid mixture.Other plates and rings with more or less vents may similarly besubstituted in the nozzle assembly as required for various sprayingapplications.

,liaeea Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a liquid dispersing device, a housing having a fluid outletportion, said fluid outlet portion comprising a cylindrical extension onthe housing open at its outer end, means for conducting air underpressure to the interior of the housing, a liquid dispersing nozzle insaid housing through which the pressurized air is conducted, said nozzlecomprising a venturi conduit having a radially flanged outlettelescopically fitted within said cylindrical extension on said housing,a support member telescopically fitted within the inlet end of saidventuri conduit, a liquid feeding nozzle supported by said supportmember, said liquid feeding nozzle extending axially into said venturifrom the inlet end thereof and having an outlet end disposed within thethroat of said venturi conduit, an air whirling member disposed betweenthe radial flange at the outlet of said venturi conduit and the for-Ward end of said cylindrical extension, said air whirling element havinga plurality of radially inwardly extending passageways directedgenerally tangentially to the axis of the venturi conduit, said radialflange at the outlet end of said venturi conduit being apertured toestablish communication between the interior of the housing and saidradial passageways.

2. In a liquid dispersing device, a housing having a cylindrical portionwith a converging portion at an outlet end thereof, a cylindricalextension on the converging portion of said housing of smaller diameterthan the cylindrical portion thereof, an impeller mounted conentricallywith said cylindrical portion for forcing air therethrough towards theoutlet end thereof, a venturi conduit having an apertured radial flangeat the outlet thereof retainably fitted into said cylindrical extensionfor supporting said conduit, said conduit having a funnel shaped inletportion disposed concentrically within said converging portion of saidhousing so as to form two concentric progressively restricted airpassages, one inside said conduit leading to a throat thereof and theother outside said conduit leading to said apertured flange, a liquidfeeding nozzle extending axially into said venturi conduit from theinlet portion thereof and having an outlet end disposed within thethroat of said conduit and annular air whirling means fitted within saidcylindrical extension for retention therein between said radial flangeand the outlet end of said cylindrical extension, said air whirlingmeans having a central passageway communicating with the air passageinside said venturi conduit and having another passageway communicatingvia said apertured flange with the air passage formed outside saidconduit, said other passageway terminating in a plurality of generallyradially inwardly extending outlets directed generally tangentially tosaid central passageway so that air issuing from said other passagewayoutlets whirls the fluid mixture flowing through said centralpassageway.

3. A powered liquid dispersing device comprising a housing, a liquiddispersing nozzle, and means for conducting air under pressure to theinterior of said housing, said housing having a cylindrical extensionwith its outer end providing a fluid outlet, said liquid dispersingnozzle comprising a venturi conduit, an air whirling element and aliquid feeding nozzle, said air whirling element having an openingtherethrough and a plurality of angularly spaced vents directedgenerally tangentially to said opening, means supporting said liquidfeeding nozzle in said conduit with the nozzle outlet adjacent thethroat of the conduit, and means mounting said conduit on said housingadjacent said fluid outlet, said mounting means comprising an enlargedportion on said conduit, said enlarged portion comprising a radiallyextending flange on said conduit at an outlet end thereof, the outerperipheral surface of said flange having a press fit within saidcylindrical extension, said air whirling element being retained in saidhousing between said fluid outlet and said enlarged portion, saidopening in said air whirling element establishing fluid communicationbetween said conduit and said fluid outlet.

4. A powered liquid dispersing device comprising a housing, a liquiddispersing nozzle, and means for conducting air under pressure to theinterior of said housing, said housing having a cylindrical extensionwith its outer end providing a fluid outlet, said liquid dispersingnozzle comprising a venturi conduit, an air whirling element and aliquid feeding nozzle, said air whirling element having an openingtherethrough and a plurality of angularly spaced vents directedgenerally tangentially to said opening, means supporting said liquidfeeding nozzle in said conduit with the nozzle outlet adjacent thethroat of the conduit, and means mounting said conduit on said housingadjacent said fluid outlet, said mounting means comprising an enlargedportion on said conduit, said enlarged portion having a press fit withsaid cylindrical extension, said enlarged portion abutting said airwhirling element to retain said air whirling element in said housingbetween said enlarged portion and the peripheral portion of said housingbordering said fluid outlet, said opening in said air whirling elementestablishing fluid communication between said conduit and said fluidoutlet.

5. A powered liquid dispersing device comprising a housing, a liquiddispersing nozzle, and means for conducting air under pressure to theinterior of said housing, said housing having a cylindrical extensionwith its outer end providing a fluid outlet, said liquid dispersingnozzle comprising a venturi conduit, an air whirling element and aliquid feeding nozzle, said air whirling element having an openingtherethrough and a plurality of angularly spaced vents directedgenerally tangentially to said opening, means supporting said liquidfeeding nozzle in said conduit with the nozzle outlet adjacent thethroat of the conduit, said feeding nozzle supporting means comprisingan apertured plate interengaged with said conduit at an inlet endthereof by a press fit between said plate and said conduit, said feedingnozzle extending through said plate for support, and means mounting saidconduit on said housing adjacent said fluid outlet, said mounting meanscomprising an enlarged portion on said conduit, said enlarged portionhaving a press fit with said cylindrical extension, said air whirlingelement being retained in said housing between said fluid outlet andsaid enlarged portion, said opening in said air whirling elementestablishing fluid communication between said conduit and said fluidoutlet.

6. The device set fonth in claim 5 wherein said feeding nozzledischarges axially into said throat.

7. The device set forth in claim 6 wherein said feeding nozzle isoutwardly flared at its outlet to provide a restriction in said throatadjacent the outlet end of said nozzle.

8. The device set forth in claim 6 wherein said conduit has a conicallyflared inlet, the outlet of said liquid feeding nozzle being outwardlyflared and located con centrically adjacent the smaller end of saidconical inlet to provide a restricted annulus at said smaller end.

9. The device set forth in claim 5 wherein said liquid feeding nozzlehas an inlet end portion extending axially of said conduit whereby saidinlet end portion is easily accessible from an end of said housingremote from said fluid outlet.

10. The device set forth in claim 5 wherein said plate has a flangedopening therein, said feeding nozzle being 6 supported in said plateopening by a press fit between said feeding nozzle and said flange.

'11. A powered liquid dispersing device comprising a housing, a liquiddispersing nozzle, and means for conducting air under pressure to theinterior of said housing, said housing having a cylindrical extensionopen at its outer end to provide a fluid outlet for said housing, saidliquid dispersing nozzle comprising a conduit, an air whirling elementand a liquid feeding nozzle, means mounting said conduit on saidcylindrical extension and retaining said air whirling element withinsaid cylindrical extension adjacent said fluid outlet, said mounting andretaining means comprising a radially extending flange on said conduitadjacent the outlet thereof, the outer peripheral surface of said flangehaving a press fit with said cylindrical extension, a radial face ofsaid flange abutting said air whirling element, said flange beingapertured in a direction axially of said cylindrical extension, said airwhirling element having a cavity therein registering with the aperturein said flange, a central opening through said air whirling elementregistering with said conduit outlet, and a passageway in said airwhirling element communicating between said cavity and said centralopening and being directed generally tangentially to said centralopening.

12. A powered liquid dispersing device comprising a housing, a liquiddispersing nozzle, and means for conducting air under pressure to theinterior of said housing, said housing having a cylindrical extensionopen at its outer end to provide a fluid outlet for said housing, saidliquid dispersing nozzle comprising a conduit, an air whirling elementand a liquid feeding nozzle, means mounting said conduit within saidcylindrical extension and retaining said air whirling element withinsaid cylindrical extension adjacent said fluid outlet, said mounting andretaining means comprising a radially extending flange on said conduitadjacent the outlet thereof, the outer peripheral surface of said flangehaving a press fit with said housing, a radial face of said flangeabutting said air whirling element, said flange having a plurality ofapertures directed axially of said cylindrical extension, said airwhirling element comprising a face plate having an annular peripheralrim slidably received in said cylindrical extension, said rim extendingaxially of said extension from said plate towards said radial flange andabutting thereagainst to define a cavity therebetween, said face platehaving a center opening and a series. of angularly spaced groovesextending tangentially outwardly from the periphery of said centeropening, and a ring disposed in said cavity to form an outer annularchamber communicating with said apertures, said grooves oom munioatingbetween said outer annular chamber and said center opening, said ringhaving projections extending partially into said grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,037,645 Vroom et a1 Apr. 14, 1936 2,544,417 Goddard Mar. 6, 19512,635,920 Boyce Apr. 21, 1953 2,705,171 Ziherl Mar. 29, 1955 2,768,859Patterson Oct. 30, 1956 2,984,421 Hession May 16, 1961

3. A POWERED LIQUID DISPERSING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A LIQUIDDISPERSING NOZZLE, AND MEANS FOR CONDUCTING AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO THEINTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, SAID HOUSING HAVING A CYLINDRICAL EXTENSIONWITH ITS OUTER END PROVIDING A FLUID OUTLET, SAID LIQUID DISPERSINGNOZZLE COMPRISING A VENTURI CONDUIT, AN AIR WHIRLING ELEMENT AND ALIQUID FEEDING NOZZLE, SAID AIR WHIRLING ELEMENT HAVING AN OPENINGTHERETHROUGH AND A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED VENTS DIRECTEDGENERALLY TANGENTIALLY TO SAID OPENING, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID LIQUIDFEEDING NOZZLE IN SAID CONDUIT WITH THE NOZZLE OUTLET ADJACENT THETHROAT OF THE CONDUIT, AND MEANS MOUNTING AND CONDUIT ON SAID HOUSINGADJACENT SAID FLUID OUTLET, SAID MOUNTING MEANS COMPRISING AN ENLARGEDPORTION ON SAID CONDUIT, SAID ENLARGED PORTION COMPRISING A RADIALLYEXTENDING FLANGE ON SAID CONDUIT AT AN OUTLET END THEREOF, THE OUTERPERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE HAVING A PRESS FIT WITHIN SAIDCYLINDRICAL EXTENSION, SAID AIR WHIRLING ELEMENT BE ING RETAINED IN SAIDHOUSING BETWEEN SAID FLUID OUTLET AND